rage against the minivan

It has happened. I own my very own minivan. In my heart, I'm still rebelling against it. There is rage. Oh yes, there is rage. But also, there is a sliding door that closes with a button, and a trunk that fits my ginormous stroller. So there you go.

And really, how mortified can I be about my own ride when my new son is rolling the neighborhood on a princess bike? It's all about perspective.

I love my minivan. It fits my kids plus a guest or two. They're safer and get better gas mileage than an SUV, and the sliding doors won't whack other cars. I'm totally over the incorrect assumptions that people may make about me as a minivan driver -- I'm too old and know myself too well to care. Good choice!

I just wanted to say hi and that I love your blog. I've been reading and loving your stories on Mama Manifesto for a while now and I just discovered your blog. Your writing is so fun to read and you are so witty.

I also read Momtog Blog and so I saw your family pictures on her photography blog DrewB. They are so good!

I just read your post about bigotry and basketball and I am so sorry. I can't imagine some of the challenges that would present themselves to your family. It sounds like you handle things really well. I have two daughters, and I can assure you that my husband and I are doing our very best to teach them that there is no difference in the color of our skin.

you have not made a bad choice. you will love your van....just surrender yourself to it, and it will treat you right. :-) this comes from one who never cared about vehicles till i drove a Honda CRV for a few years. i LOVED my CRV. i fought the minivan too. now my van is old and loved and dirty and stinky, but has taken me and my family (and guests, because there is room)to where we need to go. time to surrender, give in, and love your van. when it comes down to it, i guess we just need to be thankful we actually have a vehicle at all. we are so privileged, yes???have a great day, o owner of minivan.:-)

Ah yes, perspective...you know after driving my tots around in an '89 Chevy Caprice, blue, 4 door for 6 months I felt like the bloody Queen Mum driving around my lovely minivan. Our cars are mostly hand-me-downs from the in-laws, so I have learned to shut up about it. I was going to put in my 2 cents on your earlier post about getting one, but never got the time. Automatic, sliding doors are a freakin miracle, I tell ya. I may have kissed them during that first week, but I'll never publicly admit it.

Your blog is my new favorite...thanks for the thoughts and the reality checks!

Your blog is my new favorite read. I surrendered to the minivan when we were about to bring our daughter home from Ethiopia. I still have SUV envy, but feel better about not causing as many door dings to others. Your post yesterday helped me to articulate a conversation I had with my son on the same topic - thanks for helping educate the masses, even if they aren't always willing to listen.

I am your matcher. Same year. Same color. Same stroller. But my stroller is an obnoxious hot pink since it was $100 bucks cheaper than the rad aqua and green one. Whatevs. How about the mirror thingy that pops down so you can spy on the kids? Ya. Bye bye rage. My only rage is how freaking hard it is to park. And how I am always 99% sure I am about to hit the car or cars next to me. Or have. Not telling.

As with all change, it takes time. :) I'm sure your rage will settle in time.

It's funny because I have wanted one for quite awhile, but it just hasn't worked out. Last April my '97 Honda Civic was stolen and I actually thought, maybe I'll get a minivan now. But then the police recovered the Civic, and my dreams faded to black. I'm starting to come to terms with the fact that I may actually never get a minivan. So please enjoy your minivan for me! :)